AUTUMN ALLERGIES
from The Blue Mountains Gazette
Suzie X. phoned me yesterday to book a breathing consultation. Her nose was blocked, her eyes were itchy, her “bones ached” & she had a migraine. In general she said she felt miserable. These symptoms “attack” her each Autumn & again in Spring.
So why do Suzie & so many other allergy sufferers dread season changes? There is a simple cycle in action here. THE HYPERVENTILATION CYCLE. Firstly comes the TRIGGER/STRESS. This may be temperature drop, pollen, wind, damp (which brings mould & mildew), wool sweaters that have been stored in mothballs - the list goes on. Of course these triggers may be insidiously working on other allergy sufferers all year round. It is just that some folk need a few added triggers to “push” them into distress. Any event that activates THE FIGHT or FLIGHT mechanism in the body will cause an increase in respiration. Anything the body perceives an “enemy” it classes as an “event”. For example, it may be bad news, a cold, an argument, sugar or dust. If the increase in respiration is maintained a syndrome of hidden hyperventilation begins. In response to this overbreathing, three major changes occur in the body. The carbon dioxide level in the blood drops causing a shift in the bodies’ pH to the alkaline, a narrowing of all organs that are lined with smooth muscle (all hollow organs like sinuses, bronchial tubes (asthma), blood vessels etc) occurs and extra histamine is released into the blood stream. With this release of histamine comes inflammation, mucous and a series of very unpleasant symptoms such as Suzie is experiencing. The SOLUTION to this problem cycle is to learn to breathe both appropriately and remedially. At Buteyko Breath Easy all instruction is individually tailored to suit the specific needs of each client. Whether you are suffering from a lifestyle limiting condition or are a singer, dancer or athlete good breathing means good performance in every aspect of life. Jennifer Harris B.I.B.H. phone 0414 833 857 for help with your breathing. Check out my website http://www.pnc.com.au/~breatheasy.